Pro-Palestinian demonstrations continue to permeate colleges and universities across the country, as protests broke out at the University of Southern California and The University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday, prompting a strong police response and dozens of arrests on the campuses.
"There is significant activity at the center of the UPC campus due to a demonstration. There may be difficulty accessing that area," USC posted to X late Wednesday morning.
In subsequent updates, the school told people to avoid the center of campus, referred to as University Park Campus (UPC), and that if they were to come to that area, they would need to show their student IDs at the gates.
The Los Angeles Police Department is clearing the center of the UPC campus. If you are in the center of campus, please leave; LAPD will be arresting people who don’t disperse. https://t.co/sGxvGoTOlo
— USC (@USC) April 25, 2024
The UPC area was closed down later in the evening. The Los Angeles Police Department said it showed up at about 4 p.m. Pacific Time, and had arrested 93 people by 10 p.m. for trespassing, a misdemeanor offense. One arrest was made for assault with a deadly weapon, though the department did not specify the weapon that was used.
No injuries were reported, and LAPD will continue patrolling the area into Thursday, it said.
UPDATE:
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) April 25, 2024
93 arrests for 602 (O) PC
No reports of any injuries
Patrols will remain in the area through tomorrow https://t.co/5TbbndeS6m
"The university is a private campus, and the group had been violating some of their orders, and it was a trespass at that point, and we assisted with those arrests," LAPD Cpt. Kelly Muniz said.
The protests follow the school's decision last week to cancel the commencement speech for valedictorian Asna Tabassum, who posted pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel content on her social media. The school said it scrapped the speech for safety reasons.
At The University of Texas at Austin, hundreds of people protested in support of Palestinians. University officers and Texas state troopers responded to the scene in riot gear, and arrested dozens of students who did not leave the area, according to NPR member station KUT.
"Arrests being made right now & will continue until the crowd disperses," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott posted on X. "These protesters belong in jail. Antisemitism will not be tolerated in Texas. Period. Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled."
UT Austin President Jay Hartzell commended the school and law enforcement for showing "extraordinary restraint," and said the organizers of the protest intended to violate school policies.
"The group that led this protest stated it was going to violate Institutional Rules," Hartzell said. "Our rules matter, and they will be enforced. Our University will not be occupied. The protesters tried to deliver on their stated intent to occupy campus. People not affiliated with UT joined them, and many ignored University officials' continual pleas for restraint and to immediately disperse."
For weeks, students at major colleges and universities across the country — including Yale, Vanderbilt, the University of Pennsylvania, New York University and Columbia University — have been protesting in support of Palestinians and have faced repercussions, such as arrests and expulsions.
House Speaker Mike Johnson visited Columbia on Wednesday and called on President Nemat Shafik to resign.
"I'm here joining my colleagues and calling on President Shafik to resign if she cannot immediately bring order to this chaos," he said during a press conference on campus, in which he was joined by other members of Congress. "As Speaker of the House, I'm committing today that the Congress will not be silent as Jewish students are expected to run for their lives and stay home from their classes hiding in fear."
Columbia's board of trustees said it "strongly supports President Shafik as she steers the university through this extraordinarily challenging time."
